Deep neuromuscular blockade and low insufflation pressure during laparoscopic hysterectomy

INTRODUCTION: Establishment of sufficient muscle relaxation is essential in laparoscopic surgery. During laparoscopy, surgeons can experience abdominal contractions in their patients. Deep neuromuscular block (NMB) has the potential to prevent such episodes. In this study, we explored if deep NMB reduces the incidence of sudden abdominal contractions as compared with standard NMB.

METHODS: This was a pre-planned secondary analysis of a randomized, controlled study. A total of 110 patients scheduled for laparoscopic hysterectomy were randomized to either deep NMB and 8 mmHg pneumoperitoneum (deep NMB group) or single-bolus NMB and 12 mmHg pneumoperitoneum (standard NMB group). NMB was established with rocuronium and reversed with sugammadex. Two gynaecologists registered episodes of sudden abdominal contractions, alarms from the insufflator due to increased intraabdominal pressure and incidences with tightness of the abdominal wall.

RESULTS: No sudden abdominal contractions were detected in the deep NMB group as compared with 12 episodes in the standard NMB group (p < 0.001). The insufflator alarmed in no versus ten procedures (p = 0.001) in the deep and standard NMB group, respectively. The gynaecologists registered increasing abdominal tensions in no versus eight procedures (p = 0.006) in the deep and standard NMB group, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Deep NMB in combination with 8 mmHg pneumoperitoneum prevented sudden abdominal contractions during laparoscopic hysterectomy.

FUNDING: This work was funded in part by a research grant from the Investigator Initiated Studies Program of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, USA. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was assigned with EudraCT number 2012-003787-51 and registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01722097).